Tetragonula mellipes

Tetragonula mellipes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Apidae
Genus:	Tetragonula
Species:	T. mellipes
Binomial name
Tetragonula mellipes Friese, 1898
Map showing the estimated current distribution of T. mellipes in Australia
Synonyms
Trigona mellipesFriese, 1898 Trigona (Tetragona) mellipesMichener, 1965

Tetragonula mellipes is a small eusocial stingless bee first described by Friese in 1898 ^[1] and it is found in Northern Australia (Northern areas of Western Australia and Northern Territory). ^[2]

Description and identification

The workers (3.6-4.3mm) are pale brown with sides of the thorax (Mesopleuron and metapleuron) densely and evenly covered with fine, short hair. Male drone body colour is very similar to the workers. ^[2] T. mellipes is distinctly smaller than the sympatric T. hockingsi in most characters. However, it is similar to the apparently allopatric T. carbonaria , except it has shorter wings. ^[2] Furthermore, when alive, the eyes are paler in colour compared to the darker eyes of T. carbonaria and T. hockingsi.

Nest building

The nests of T. mellipes are irregular and small. ^[3] T. mellipes can be found nesting in small cavities inside trees and stone walls. It has a semi-comb arrangement of brood. The brood is also smaller, typically being less than half a litre compared with the average 2 litres of its relatives. ^[4] Most T. mellipes nests have external entrance tunnels and some nests may have more than one entrance (up to four). ^[2]

References

1. Friese, H. (1898). "Die Trigona-Arten Australiens". Természetrajzi Füzetek. 21 (3–4): 427–431.
2. Dollin, Anne E.; Dollin, Leslie J.; Sakagami, the late Shôichi F. (1997). "Australian stingless bees of the genus Trigona (Hymenoptera: Apidae)" . Invertebrate Systematics. 11 (6): 861. doi:10.1071/it96020. ISSN   1445-5226.
3. Dollin, Anne (2012). "Exploring Western Australia" (PDF). Aussie Bee. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
4. Heard, Tim (2016). The Australian native bee book : keeping stingless bee hives for pets, pollination and sugarbag honey. West End, Brisbane, Qld. ISBN   978-0-646-93997-1. OCLC   910915206.